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I inhaled softly, and a stupid, stupid fluttering took up residence in o away because there was no reason for it to be there in the first place, but one that was there nonetheless

I glanced at the three people in front ofit close to , waiting for someone ould have a reaction to that notebut there was no one Just residents of Thatch eating, others serving, nearly all people I had known most of my life None of theand ehim and this situation out to be much more than they were because of my obsession with roh the lump in my throat, and shoved the napkin into one of ht this way"

By the tiht, htly crumpled piece of paper had been s up No words had been added to Ben’s song, but there was a note left to the stranger

You gave me relationship advice that was a few years too late; I didn’t know you expected a response Since you want one: Thank you, stranger I’ll uy who comes into my life

I didn’t work the next day, but there was a response waiting for h I tried to watch the front desk as much as possible, I never saw anyone take my notebook I had studied almost everyone who sat in the café, studied everyone workingno one seemed to touch it, and no one seemed to watch me But by the time my shift had ended that day, there was already a response

Is this where I say that I’uy anyuy was a du most of what you have written in this journal, I’ve decided that I want to be the one who gets to listen to you

Those are big words, stranger Words can be deceiving Are you so sure that once you find me, there will be any words to listen to at all? Maybe this is all I have

Your words have kept irl has ever been able to I’ll take ?

Because it could, and would, ruin everything for led to talk to anyone outside of Jagger and Grey, and who definitely couldn’t talk to guys Shy Charlie, who, in the real world, had a toddler and no clue what she was doing with her life

Chapter Six

Deacon

June 3, 2016

I GROANED INTO my hands as I scrubbed them over my face, and leaned back in the driver’s seat of onna be a disaster"

"What?" Grahaer door "The dinner?"

"The dinner The wedding The whole dah ruain?"

I slid aze over to him and narrowed my eyes "No But her older sister sure as hell hates me, and I have to be paired with her"